Neighbors received the following two rezoning/SLUP meeting announcements mid-month. They are scheduled for July 3, 2018, not exactly the most available date for most!
Please attend if you can, and strategize with your neighbors to cover both meetings as they are on the same evening.
1) Quick Trip on Lawrenceville Hwy: approval for extra gas pumps and alcohol sales
Concerns: This is complicated. It is a rezoning for a "portion" of the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve parcel [note: the nature preserve, although maintained by volunteers, is privately owned]. There appears to be confusion on the part of the County and the representing attorney as to how such a rezoning (for part of a property) would proceed. Additionally, the rezoning of that portion is to accommodate a dumpster which would be within the existing buffer (and putting dumpsters close to homes is a very bad idea: think noise and varmint). Right now the gas station impacts the first 4 houses on Harrington; with the new plan, it will expand its impact to the first 6 houses on Harrington. Additionally, there's the question of the desirability of allowing alcohol sales at this location, and alcohol sales seems to be driving the need for additional space and more parking.
UPDATE: Neighbors are working with QuickTrip to address issues.
2) RJ Crickets: seeks to stay open until 2am Friday-Saturday.
Concerns: The neighborhood had major issues with a prior businesses at this location that stayed open after midnight. Allowing later hours will potentially diminish quality of life for residents by inviting the same late-night problems that were experienced before:
- limited on-site parking means parking spilled onto residential streets, along with associated noise; trash was routinely left on streets/yards by business guests; cars were sometimes parked on residential front yards/lawns, resulting damages to private property
- noise and light pollution continued late into the night
- late night nuisance/criminal behavior led to safety concerns
UPDATE: this SLUP was withdrawn.
Of benefit to the immediate neighbors: Replace existing wood fence at the property line with new 8 ft fence, addition of new double-sided 8 ft fence on QT side of buffer, Removing dead trees from the buffer, cleaning up and replanting the buffer, dumpster enclosure to minimize sound, and in general moving the more intense use away from the residential homes (gas pumps, lighting, underground gas tanks, etc).
The Board of Commissioner's meeting will hear this request on 11-13-2018. No opposition is expected.
